Calling Heaven: Penetration Of The Shadow
by MadagascarGirl
Summary: Book 1: The penguins have to stand face to face with their fears and show their entire bravery. The end is only the beginning... of the most dangerous adventure. When New York and the whole world are taken over by the darkness, only the penguins can save their friends. But the evil has never been so strong... Will the worst foes become friends to bring back the light?...
1. Chapter 1 Prologue

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_**The Penguins Of Madagascar novel**_

"_**Calling Heaven"**_

_**Book 1: Penetration Of The Shadow**_

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_Disclaimer: I do not own PoM_

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**Chapter 1 - Prologue**

_They_ looked around the dark, spooky place. There were no other colors; only black infinite infinity, _they_ approached a murky gate with the scary symbols. That was it. _They_ found the entry to the kingdom of evil…

_She _knew it wasn't a good way, it couldn't succeed. _She _took the deep breath, around them appeared the whispers. _She _looked at the others, _they_ had the fear on their faces too, but there was no other way. _She_ grabbed their flippers and _they_ grabbed hers…

_He _knew it was too late for the retreat, but _they _didn't even want to retreat. _He _looked at them and gave them the well-known look, it was the time… and _he _knew what was waiting for them, but _they _had to save their friends. _He _took the deep breath.

They took one step, the whispers were louder and the gate creaked…

They took the second step, the symbols on the gate lit in the color of fire, the dark ghosts which were lurking in the shadow moved…

They took the third step and the gate opened with the noise, now they didn't have any choice…

They closed their eyes and passed the gate into the darkest place from their nightmares… It's the last hope…

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***Prologue* General***

The shadow is covering the sky …

… The dark times are coming…

… And only they can fight …

… They are the last hope …

… They are the chance for the world …

… The darkness grows in strength …

… The only one way can lead them …

… To the shakedown …

… The hideout of the roots of evil …

… They can enter …

… But they can't exit …

… There must be a pay …

…The one sacrifice …

… The one world to be destroyed …

… Can good come back ever again? …

… Or the darkness will take over the world …

… Forever …

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**! Important !**

_*General prologue is a kind of description. _

_I know how it sounds; really dark and evil but do not judge it at the beginning, it's only a prologue ;D_

_(It's a sequel for all my stories, so I'd recommend you to read them first, but if you don't like this kind of stories, it's not needed. Katherine will appear in this story, (about her writes in my profile), I know that some of you don't like OCs, but as a novel this OC is necessary here._

_It's Halloween today, my favorite celebration! So I decided to post the prologue today ^^ I've been working on it for a month, anyway…_

_ Scary Halloween! _

_! And an important note: the words like heaven or hell - don't take them literally, they're a metaphor. ;D_

_Besides, happy birthday Bml1997!_

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**Review please!**

**The novel starts: 10/31/2012**

_**~ MadagascarGirl**_


	2. Chapter 2 Cover Of The Shadow

**Chapter 2**

**Cover Of The Shadow**

It wasn't normal or something which they could ignore. Everybody realized that something was going on. The sky was covered by the dark clouds for about two weeks, there were no sunbeams, but it wasn't the strangest. Something was wrong with the clouds, they weren't like the normal rainy or stormy clouds. Evil was lurking in them. Sometimes a lightening went through the sky, making the view like from a thriller scene. Animals weren't calm, humans worried about it. They also knew that something was wrong. Scientists tried to explain it, but none of their methods worked.

The weather wasn't like that only in New York city. Over the whole country a sense of horror was raising. People didn't want to go outside, all the streets were deserted. Everywhere even on the day it was gloomy.

But _they_ were the only ones who knew that the scientists couldn't explain it, nobody could. Because it wasn't even anything wrong in the space, nor apocalyptic scientists' predictions, it was something more… The evil was penetrating into the world, the evil stronger than the one before. It was going out from its shakedown… from the roots of the evil. The shadow was covering the sky and waiting for a good moment to attack…

It was a cold evening and it started to rain and also storm. The lightnings were louder than the ones on the storms before. Penguins and Katherine were sitting in a quiet HQ, Kowalski was playing chess with Private and Rico was brushing his doll's hair. Skipper and Katherine were sitting far from them at the table. Katherine was a penguin with the golden-brown hair pulled back into a high ponytail with a black bow. She raised her golden eyes with the dense eyelashes from a piece of paper which was lying on the table.

"Why we?" Katherine asked.

"I have no idea. But you know that it must be checked" Skipper said, they were bending over a letter lying on the table.

"I'll go Skipper"

"No way, Katherine, you should stay with them…"

"Skipper, just look where this mission is" Katherine said. She was right, the military wanted one of them to join a world's mission, probably the most important mission which has ever taken place. It was obvious that sooner or later it'll happen. They just couldn't ignore the shadow.

"Katherine, how are you going to tell them? I can't let you go there alone, Denmark always will be the most dangerous place" Skipper said and pointed at Kowalski, Private and Rico, they didn't suspect anything. She smiled.

"But you're with them and they're safe. This is this, what makes me strong. Just don't worry about me"

"You can't ask me, us, for it because you know we will worry, but… please think about it"

"I made a decision. It's on my plan, we'll check the most suspicious places and then take an action"

"So, is it including Blowhole?"

"I think so. Xin-Jin's military is the best from the all ones, you don't have to worry" she looked again at the three penguins "We must talk to them, now"

"What about Private?"

"It will be better if he doesn't know it. I'll try to come back quickly and he'll not notice it. Don't make him more worrying, the actual situation is enough"

They stood up from the table. Kowalski and Private almost finished the game. Rico was looking with excited at their last moves.

"Oh, I almost win!" Kowalski said when Private moved his Knight and won.

"Checkmate, Kowalski" Private said. Skipper, Katherine and Rico applauded.

"Well, congratulations, Private" Kowalski said.

"Kowalski, Rico, can we talk with you?"

"Oh, of course" Kowalski said and stood up.

"What about me?" Private asked with a hope.

"Go sleep, it's late"

"Oh, ok…" Private said and walked a little resentful to his bunk. Skipper and Katherine went to Kowalski's lab, Kowalski and Rico followed them. They stood around a table, on which Skipper laid the letter.

"What's this?" Kowalski asked.

"Read it"

Kowalski took the letter and started reading, his face was changing by every word on that piece of paper. When he finished reading he slowly put the letter back on the table and looked at Skipper and Katherine with the fear on his face.

"You aren't going to leave us, are you?" he asked.

"Kowalski… I have to go" Katherine said.

"No, you can't go alone. What about you, Skipper? Are you going too?"

"No, he isn't" Katherine said before Skipper could answer.

"Ok, to make sure, you'll be back after checking Denmark?"

"I promise"

"What if you'll… not return? Katherine, it's too dangerous"

"And what do you suggest? Of course it's in Denmark, but don't forget, that I and Skipper are ones of the best soldiers from Xin-Jin's military, he trusts us" Katherine said a little louder. They tried to be quieter to don't wake up Private. But he didn't give up as easily. Private slowly and silently leaned against the door to hear the conversation.

"So, when are you leaving?" Kowalski asked.

"It would be better if I leave soon, maybe tomorrow"

"Be careful, please"

"I can't promise it to you, I don't want to lie to you…"

"What about Private?"

"I'm not going to tell him, it'll be better"

"Okay. What's the military's plan?"

"Well, they didn't want to tell much if someone would catch this letter, but there will be few teams. Each of the teams will go on a designated night to Denmark. But I don't know how, it's classified for now" Katherine said.

"But if it's a secret mission, why so many teams are going?" Skipper asked.

"Skipper, we both know that only half or even less of the teams will stay alive"

Private heard sigh and their steps, he didn't want to listen to it any longer, he ran to his bunk and lay on a stomach with a face in his flippers. They went out of the lab to a little dark HQ, the storm already ended and there was the worrying silence. Rico spat out few candles and laid them on the table. They saw Private in his bunk, Katherine and Skipper walked to him.

"Private, are you ok?" she asked in a soft voice. Private raised his head from his flippers with the tears. They knew that he must have heard their conversation. Private looked at her and Skipper with the pleading eyes. Katherine sat on the edge of his bunk and stroked his head.

"Y-you're leaving, a-aren't you?" he said.

"I have to"

"Skippah, don't let her, please" Private said.

"Private… I-I can't do anything…" Skipper said.

"I must go, think about the mysterious weather, what if it's Blowhole? I know you want to end this darkness hours too" Katherine said and smiled to him "Before I leave, I want to see your smile"

Private finally calmed down and smiled back.

"You have the same smile as your mother, goodnight" Katherine said and gave Skipper the well-known look. She stood up and Skipper went to Private.

Katherine went out of the HQ, the sky didn't change, it was still dark, gloomy and with the shadowy clouds, even the moonlight couldn't get through the cover of the darkness. She took the deep breath, the air wasn't fresh like always after the storms and rains. She looked up at the scary night.

"What's happening with the world?" she asked herself, she had to go as soon as she could, and waiting will not change anything. Skipper went out of the HQ and stood next to her.

"You're leaving now, aren't you?" he asked. Katherine nodded and sighed.

"Is he alright?"

"Yes, I calmed him down, he's with Kowalski and Rico now"

"I miss her, Skipper" she said looking at the black sky.

"Me too, we all. Karen would know what to do now" Skipper said. Karen was Katherine's sister and Private's mother, she died when Private was one day after his hatch. She saved him from Blowhole, Skipper and Katherine were too late to save her. (story: Truth Of The Unforgotten Past). Then Kowalski and Rico went out of the HQ.

"You're going now, right?" Kowalski asked. Katherine nodded.

"Bye bye" Rico said sadly, she hugged him and Rico went with Skipper to the HQ to give Kowalski and Katherine privacy.

"Be careful, if it's Blowhole's next evil plan, it'll be deathly"

"I will Kowalski" she nodded, Kowalski hugged her. (They're a couple from story: True Feelings ;)).

"Goodbye, Kowalski and promise you'll not do something dangerous" she said and smiled to him, Kowalski sadly smiled back and nodded. Skipper, Rico and Private went back outside "I love you all"

"We love you too" Private said and they hugged for the last time, then Katherine turned and jumped out of the penguins' habitat.

"Don't you go to bid farewell with Marlene?"

"Um, no. Don't initiate her into it" Katherine said.

"What should we tell her if she'll ask about you?"

"You'll find something, but I think that she'll not, in this weather no one want to leave the habitats. Well, goodbye and also good luck boys" Katherine said looking at their sad faces. She sighed "Hey.. don't think about it as a farewell, just say… goodnight" she said, they didn't want to worry her, so they tried to smile "Take care, boys" Katherine said and went along the Central Park Zoo. After few seconds she disappeared in the darkness.

"Will she be alright?" Private asked getting the panic again.

"Hopefully, young Private" Skipper said and put his flipper on young penguin's shoulder, they looked at the place where Katherine disappeared.

"What if… if something will go wrong?" Private was still worrying.

"Just don't even think about it now" Skipper said.

"Why can't we go too?" Kowalski asked.

"It's not such a simple missions which we have every day. For a kind of those missions you need the military experience and it's really dangerous. I would never have expose you"

"… Alright"

"I think I will not sleep this night" Private said.

"Private, if there is anything which we can do for Katherine, I'm sure that it is keeping calm, it's hard for all of us but we must do it for her, ok?" Kowalski said. Private nodded and turned to Skipper.

"You know those missions Skippah, do you really think it'll be ok?"

"Private, how many times we have to repeat it. Of course…" Skipper said, but he stopped, did they really have to lie to him? He looked at Private's blue eyes "Ok, I don't know… We can expect everything"

"I-I… I don't want to think about it…" Private said and looked down.

"Come on Private, as long as you're with us, everything is fine" Skipper said and hugged Private, Kowalski and Rico joined them "Let's go, it's getting darker… if it's even possible"

But it looked that there couldn't be darker, even the lanterns in the zoo didn't switch on. And since the days got like that, they haven't heard Julian's always loud music. They didn't even visit other habitats, it was too risky and the zookeepers were more carefully. What the heck was wrong? Penguins went to the HQ, staying outside was also unpleasant.

They went to their bunks. Private was lying on the back, but he couldn't fall asleep… just like the others. Tomorrow they'll probably get some news from the military about the first team. They could only have a hope, that everything will be fine. Rico blew out the candles and HQ fell into the darkness…

"Everything will be okay" Private repeated to himself.

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_What do you think? If you have any questions just ask._

_I know that the beginning could be boring, but it'll be getting more and more exciting (at least I hope so) ;D_

_(and to peoples who read my other stories: Katherine used to be an otter, but I changed her into a penguin!)_

_**Review please!**_


	3. Chapter 3 The Fire's Around

**Chapter 3**

**The Fire's Around**

It was about 2 am. when Katherine got to a meeting place of the military. It was in a small forest, where nobody could see them. She slowly went inside the scary forest with the spine-chilling fog.

"Is anybody here?" she asked, at any time she could expect an attack because of safety from the military.

"Your status, soldier" a familiar voice said.

"Katherine Snow, the top class soldier and license of the military spy" she replied. She smiled to herself for meet her old general again.

"Nice to meet you again, Katherine"

Everybody went out from the shadow behind the trees, they had the weapons from the best class.

"So, what's the plan?" Katherine asked, they gave her a weapon; a rifle.

"We'll tell you in the plane, we must quickly get to Denmark" a tiger said (who looks like Vitaly, if you watched Madagascar 3) with a soldier's helmet.

"Aye, General G" Katherine saluted and followed them.

They went deeper into the forest, it was early autumn, so the trees already changed colors into the golden, red and chocolate brown. The grass was wet by the dew drops, but everything even with the golden color looked gloomy. They finally got to the free space, surrounded by the trees, with a high cliff. There was a plane; small, black and military.

They went inside, it looked pretty exclusive. There was light and sits were in beige color, the walls were white.

"Don't worry, we have the best pilots" General G said when they took their sits and fastened the seatbelts "Well, about the plan. This mission needs more spies-soldiers, so that's why I called you. It's a team A, so we're the first ones. Tomorrow Team B will join us with General T, of course if we survive…" he stopped for a while "The whole Denmark's border is guarding by the puffins, we must land far from them and then surround a specific part of the border. We'll attack the puffins and then we'll quietly get inside the country"

"It sounds simply, but in fact it'll be really dangerous" Katherine said more to herself. General G smiled.

"What's a mission without any risk?" he said, everybody nodded "But you know that I can't go further with you"

"What do you mean, sir?"

"You know what. It's my fate"

"… No, you can't do it, sir!" Katherine protested.

"You all know that as a general I have to do everything for success of the mission. They'll kill me… but then you'll get there"

"But we can't be sure…"

"I have a bad feeling this is my last mission. Don't worry, it'll be a honor for me. And that's why you, Katherine, will be a general of this mission after I…"

Silence

"I-I can't…" she said.

"Katherine, after those years I've trained you, I know you'll complete the mission success. Team B will join you and if something gets wrong, you'll make a backup plan B with General T, understand?" he said with seriousness, Katherine slowly nodded.

Suddenly they felt a concussion of the airplane, it wasn't good, Katherine like the others felt sick. The plane flew faster, they felt the plane turbulence and suddenly everything stopped as fast as it started. They put off the seatbelts and stood up shakily.

"We landed. You know, it's a military plane, so I think that you didn't expect a better landing"

"Well, the next time I'll take a helicopter" Katherine said trying to not lose her balance.

"We're near Denmark, if we want success, we must be fast. They should expect nothing, but we should expect everything" General G said, everybody nodded.

They were inside a forest, the plane was left on the free space surrounded by the trees. The black color of it was a really good camouflage. They walked through the spine-chilling wood. There was the strange fog too, as if it was spying them; evil in a mist form. But there was quiet, too quiet, it usually means nothing good. The whole forest was making a bad feel, they grabbed tighter their weapons. General G and Katherine went ahead.

"We are almost on Denmark's border, when we'll pass it, they'll attack us. Somewhere there should be the guards…" General G gave them a mark. They hid behind the trees and surround that part of the boarder. When they moved to the right side, they saw few puffins. The plan started, General G threw a stone to make the noise.

"What was that?" one puffin asked. He raised his weapon and went closer to place with the noise.

"Are you ready?" General G asked, they gave him the marks. He nodded and prepared to attack "I'll attack them, and then you, Katherine, will take the remote control of an alarm from that puffin. You'll switch it off and then you'll get inside Denmark. You know where the classified hiding place is?" General G asked. Katherine nodded. General G jumped out from the forest and attacked the puffin from surprise.

"They're attacking us!"the puffins yelled. General G and few other soldiers went to fight, the rest stayed in the forest and waited for Katherine's mark. She went to an unconscious puffin and found the remote control.

"Excellent, here's no button to switch it off" she said sarcastically and moved the remote control in her hands. There were only few words on its back 'what now?' as a joke from the puffins "But you didn't expect this" she said to herself and opened a cover of the remote control, inside there was a lot of cables. Katherine took a black bow from her hair, it had a sharp clip.

"Either succeed, or blow up" she said and with nervous she approached the sharp part to one red cable "Now or never" she cut the cable.

Nothing happened, she slowly passed the border, the alarm didn't switch on, so she gave a mark to the rest. They quickly walked further, but then the puffins attacked them.

"They're here! Switch on the alarm and give me the bombs!" the leader puffin said, a loud alarm switched on and more puffins attacked them. Suddenly something blew up near to them. The leader puffin was throwing small-attack bombs to them. They couldn't attack the puffins, but only the make the dodges.

"Run, I'll stop them!" General G defeated the rest of the puffins on his side and went to the team. Katherine made the dodges and landed next to him by a somersault.

"No, you can't stay here, sir!"

"Listen to an order, soldier" General G said "Puffins, get the general first"

"Let's go" Katherine sighed and finally moved, the others followed her. There was another forest. They could hide behind the trees to lose the puffins, which already caught General G. One of the puffins walked to him and raised a knife… Katherine turned her head to don't look at it.

"We must go, General G gave us a time for escape, he can rest in peace" she said and closed her eyes. She had to concentrate now.

"Check the forest, we must get them" a puffin said and the rest went inside the forest.

"Go!" Katherine whispered, but the puffins started shooting.

"Any options for this situation?" one of the soldiers asked.

"Being in the group is too dangerous when they're shooting. The plan B is a kind of a solo-mission. We must split" Katherine said, they nodded and ran to the different directions to meet in the end of the forest. The puffins followed them, fortunately there were a lot of trees, so they have a 'cover' while they were running. Suddenly something blew up, a second later the forest were surrounded by the fire.

"What now?" Katherine heard voices of her soldiers, she was the general now, it depended on her. She hesitated and looked around.

"Just run, we'll meet in the edge of the forest" she said but then the puffins surrounded her. She made a dodge before they shot her, but it was too late for escape, she stepped back.

"Well, well, well" the leader puffin said with an evil smile on his face.

"They're escaping" the puffin saluted.

"We can't let them go further… the land mines" leader puffin said and raised a remote control with a red button with a skull on it "Goodbye" he said and pushed the button. Before Katherine could stop him, the puffins caught her. Then everything around them blew up.

"You monster! You killed them all!" Katherine cried and tried to get out from the puffins.

"Just sit down and shut up or you'll share the same fate"

"I'll never give up, puffin" she said and kicked the puffins near to her. The leader puffin went to her and took the dagger.

"Bad choice"

"I'm not afraid" she said.

"But you should"

"But I'm not and whatever you're going to do, believe me, I'm not giving up"

"You have the last chance, sit down and shut up politely or…"

"You won't dare" she said and smiled, if she was going to die this night, she wasn't going to be afraid.

"I will dare and you know what? You're annoying"

"Yeah, I heard it. Are we going to stay here for the whole night? Can you release me in that case, please?"

"Nope" the leader puffin said and turned to his work, the burning forest.

"Are you happy? See what have you done and I promise that you'll pay for this" Katherine said with hate.

"Just like you" he said and stabbed her stomach by the dagger.

"Uh, you don't control your anger, you know…" Katherine said. The puffins released her and she fell down and fainted, everything changed fell into a black…

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It was about 4 am., none of the penguins could fell asleep. Yes, they slept, but they woke up for the few times. Now they were only lying in their bunks nervously. Private couldn't stand it any longer.

"Do you think she's alright?" he asked.

"I don't know, but I… um, yes she is" Skipper said.

"But what?"

"Nothing"

"Please tell"

"But… I have bad feelings… I don't know, just… we should be calm now" Skipper said.

It wasn't normal feeling and his gut is never wrong, something happened and he knew it. But he didn't want to upset the others. He tried to fall asleep again, so he closed his eyes.

"Ugh" Skipper opened eyes again, he just couldn't fall asleep, so he looked around the dark HQ. He heard the deep breaths, the rest of the team were sleeping again. He decided to get up and he walked to Kowalski's lab. There was a computer with one missed message. Skipper looked at it and stop breathing for a moment. He knew what was that about; message with the information about Team A, but it was too fast and it often means that something went wrong. Skipper nervously went to the computer.

_Top Secret_

_Classified_

_Team A_

_Mission Denmark_

There was a warming. Skipper opened the mail, to read this he had to print it, so he did. He took a piece of paper and took the deep breath…

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**Sorry, if this chapter was too much about Katherine, but you should know how that mission went ^^**

**I hope you liked it, this story and your reviews are really important for me, Sorry for talking too much, next chapter coming soon.**

**Review please!**


	4. Chapter 4 Remind Me

**Chapter 4**

**Remind Me**

No, no, no, Skipper stepped back and almost fell down, he leaned against the wall. It couldn't be the truth, he looked once again at the paper and felt tears in his eyes. It was stupid, he never cries, but what to do now… Skipper moaned and stood up, he remembered when the last time he got a similar letter.

It was after the mission: Stop Blowhole, he was in the Central Park Zoo with Kowalski, Rico and Private. He was waiting for a letter, of course the rest of the team didn't know it. It was so depressing when he find out that Katherine and the others died for success of the mission. And finally the bright thought, when Katherine moved to the zoo and Skipper learned that she's alive and now…

What to do now? He couldn't just tell them, what about Private… Katherine was sister of his mother, it'll be too depressing for him. And Kowalski, she was his girlfriend and he finally could forget the sad thoughts of the failure with Doris... Rico loved her as a sister. She was like an older sister to him, she always helps him... Skipper sighed and heard steps, he quickly hid the paper behind him.

"What are you doing, Skipper?" Kowalski asked when he, Rico and Private entered the lab.

"Nothing, what are _you _doing here" Skipper asked trying to use a calm and normal voice.

"We noticed that you weren't in the bunk, sir, so we wanted to look for you"

"Ok, go back to sleep" Skipper said. But they noticed that something was wrong.

"What did you do?"

"Nothing"

"But, the computer is on"

Of course, he forgot about the computer, _you stupid _Skipper thought and sighed.

"I... um... it's an email from the military..." Skipper decided to gave them the paper.

"Is it something good about the mission? Oh dear, I hope so..." Private said and they read the email.

_The mission failed, nobody from the Team A stayed alive, it's only what we know for now._

_A lot of apologies,_

_Xin-Jin's military._

After a short report of the mission, which was technically unknown, these were the last sentences. They raised their heads from the paper and pushed it away.

"No it can't be the truth, no..." Kowalski staggered.

"I-I can't believe in it..." Private said and sat down with tears. Rico didn't say anything, he was too sad even to say any words.

"I-is it really obvious? Maybe she's alive... like on that mission..." Kowalski said trying to find something which could give them a hope "I need to find the options"

"Kowalski... it's Denmark a-and the puffins... if it's true... They hadn't got any chances" Skipper looked down, the HQ fell into the silence.

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"Okay, what now?" eight years old Katherine asked. She was sitting next to her fourteen years old sister Karen. Around there was snow, they were fishing and it was in Antarctica. _The_ _real _Katherine was looking at this scene as a 'ghost'.

"You found a fish, now, you must be fast" Karen said.

"And catch it, right?"

"Yep, like this..." Karen said and deftly caught one fish.

"What if it'll swim away?"

"Don't worry, you'll find another"

"Um..." Katherine prepared to attack and quickly catch the... water "Oh, um, a fishy escaped, sorry"

"Oh, don't worry, it's your first try" Karen said and caught another fish.

"You're doing this really aptly..." Katherine said and looked at the water.

"Come on, I promise I'll teach you" Karen said and put her flipper on Katherine's shoulder. They took the fish and walked towards home...

Suddenly the view swam away, Katherine slipped to the dark and fell down to another scene, it was... Christmas. The same year. They all were sitting in the snow-cave-home.

"Are you ready for the presents?" George, their father asked.

"Yay! Of course!" Katherine said.

"Alright, come on" Emily, their mother said and they walked to a beautiful Christmas tree.

Katherine smiled while she was looking at this family scene, she remembered it. Everybody looked so happy, they were smiling... Then she realized how much she's missing Karen and her parents.

A phone rang and George walked there, after a while he returned without the smile on his face.

"Emily, they need us... now" he said.

"On Christmas?" Emily asked and stood up from Katherine and Karen.

"You know that the military life isn't simple..." George said. Yes, they were in the military. Katherine and Karen stopped opening the presents.

"Are you leaving us on Christmas?" Karen asked.

"I'm so sorry..." Emily said.

"It's okay... um, go. I'll take care of Katherine" Karen said. She became accustomed that their parents haven't got a lot of time for them... then Katherine slipped into a different memory.

It was about a year later, Blowhole was destroying Antarctica. He laughed evilly when he saw Emily and George. The sky was covered by the clouds and everything looked dark and evil.

"Here we are, the end of the only family, which can defeat me" he said. He was standing on a flying platform and shooting by a laser, everywhere was panic and the lobsters were destroying villages.

"Why are you doing it?" George yelled.

"You know... someone told me something, so... anyway, say goodbye!" Blowhole shot to him by the laser but George made a dodge.

"Ok, let's go, Katherine" Karen said and grabbed Katherine's hand.

"Where are we going, Karen?"

"Um, we are moving" Karen said, she didn't want to tell little Katherine so bad information. She led her out of the cave and took a direction to the sea. There will be ship which will take the residents far from there.

"Hurry up, Katherine" Karen said walking faster.

"Why?"

"To catch a ship"

But then Karen saw Blowhole shooting to George who almost fell down, he was near a gulf. Meanwhile Emily threw a rope to Blowhole's platform and climbed there. Blowhole took an aim and shot one laser to George, but George smiled. Blowhole turned and saw Emily.

"Now your turn, Blowhole" Emily said. She tied the rope to the platform and threw it to George.

"You can't do it..." Blowhole said and his evil smile came back.

"Oh, really?"

"If you do it, you know you'll die"

"But we'll save innocent persons from you, monster" George said "Now, Emily!"

Emily pushed a button and the platform 'switched off', George jumped with the rope to the gulf and the platform followed him. Then the two edges, between which was the gulf, joined and everything crushed.

"No!" Karen yelled and ran there, but it was over. (It was a scene from Truth Of The Unforgotten Past)

Katherine tried to say something, yell, but she was falling into the dark again. She tried to grab something to hold on to, but she couldn't. Something wanted to take her from the memories. Katherine didn't want to come back to the reality...

She woke up with a strong pain and she felt something warm on her cheek. It was a tear. She slowly opened her eyes. Firstly, she realized that she was laying on a cold floor, secondly, she was probably in a truck. She slowly sat and felt a strong headache. Her flippers were tied on her back so she couldn't do anything. There weren't any windows, so there was dark and really cold. But she couldn't give up.

Fortunately, her wound on the stomach already stopped bleeding, she used the rest of her strong and stood up. It wasn't a good move because she lost her balance and fell down feeling more pain. She had to stop herself from a moan. If the puffins hear it, they'll find out that she's awake.

"I'm sorry Skipper, Private, Kowalski and Rico but I can't make it" she whispered and closed her eyes. With the rest of her strong she sat and leaned against an iron wall.

Katherine heard the steps, somebody or few puffins were near. They couldn't find out that she's awake, she hasn't made a plan yet. Then the leader puffin, who killed General G and also stabbed Katherine, entered the truck with an evil smile. Katherine sent him a hating glance.

"Well, our sleeping princess is already woken up?"

* * *

The penguins didn't sleep anymore on that night. They were sitting in silence in the dark and gloomy HQ. It was as if they couldn't smile or laugh ever again. But the three penguins didn't know what that means. In fact, when the Team A failed, Skipper had to get to a Commander as soon as he could.

Commander was the leader of all Generals and Skipper wanted to talk with him. He stood up. Private, Kowalski and Rico raised their heads with the sad faces, they already stopped crying.

"Where are you going, Skippah?" Private asked.

"I must leave you for a while, I have the things to do"

"No, we know that you're going to Denmark with the others" Kowalski said and stood up with Private and Rico.

"I'll not lie to you. Yes, it's true. I must go to Denmark and avenge Katherine, what do you think? That I can just stand back and do nothing?"

"In that case we're going with you" Kowalski said.

"No way, I said something. Besides, Denmark is not a good place for penguins like you. I just want you to be safe. Stay in the zoo, um, visit Marlene. But don't try to follow me"

"You said you can't stand back and do nothing, do you think that we can?!"

"Stop Kowalski! I said and I'm not going to change my mind, you're staying here. If it makes you feel better, you're the leader for now and if I won't return…"

"Make me feel better? Being the leader after loss of Katherine and you will not make me feel better!"

"Please stop!" Private said. So far, he was standing with Rico in silence "I'm sure that Katherine wouldn't want us to quarrel"

"Listen… I promise that I'll do my best to, um, survive. If I fail, I'll be always with you, wherever you are"

"Promise" Rico said, Skipper nodded and they hugged up.

"But wait, please stay with us a little longer, what about the memories-farewell" Private asked.

"Huh?"

"Private is right. If it's our last time, let's remind our common memories" Kowalski said.

"Which exactly?"

"Do you remember my first invention after the move to this zoo?"

Flashback

"Eureka! Few minutes and it'll be done…" Kowalski said to himself, they just moved to the HQ and Kowalski immediately went to check a new lab. He tried to make a machine which would increase the number of the fish.

"Kowalski, are you sure about this?" Skipper asked.

"Of course! I have to press this button and…" Kowalski said but before he finished the sentence, an invention in his flippers blew up "Okay, I forget about… oh, Kowalski you idiot! I forget this screw!" he threw the machine to the corner of the lab and sat on a chair, resting his head on his flippers "I'm a fatal scientist"

"Of course you're not Kowalski. Remember, everybody learns on their own mistakes, so don't give up" Skipper said.

"But, I just can't… I checked everything and I thought it was done. But the self-confidence was too proud to check it again. I shouldn't be the scientist"

"Kowalski..." Skipper took the invention from the floor "I believe that you'll be a good scientist like your dad and I'm sure that your parents would be proud of you now. Take it and fix it. One day you'll invent something really big. That's why you're my lieutenant" Skipper said and gave him the invention. Kowalski smiled.

The end of the flashback

"I remember it clearly" Skipper said "And look, you didn't give up and now you're doing better and better inventions"

"It was the best advice which I've ever got" Kowalski said.

"Do you remembe' this?" Rico said...

Flashback

Rico was sitting on the topside of the HQ. An hour ago he lost the control and he tried to blow up the zoo. It was a night, but he didn't want to get inside. Skipper went out of the HQ and walked up to Rico.

"Rico, nobody is mad at you. We understand how you're feeling"

"It wa' my fault" Rico said.

"Maybe you're a destruction-machine, Rico, but it's something what makes you different from the others like a 'kaboom' penguin"

"It's no' good, I think" Rico said and looked down.

"No, Rico, you're a special penguin and for us you'll always be. Please, join us in the HQ"

"Thanks" Rico finally said and stood up. They walked to the HQ to the rest of their friends.

The end of the flashback

"From that day you've changed, Rico. You're more responsible and, um, less psychopathic"

"Do you really want to leave us, now?" Private asked.

"I don't want, but I have to. Nice try, but you'll not stop me" Skipper said.

"Do you remember when I was five? You told me the pillow-ghost's story..." Private sighed.

Flashback

It was a night and five years old Private was laying in his bunk.

"Please, tell me another story!" Private said.

"No, one story for one night" Skipper said and covered him with a blanket "It's late, Private, go to sleep"

"Noo, please"

"You know, I can tell you one story about the pillow-ghost"

"Pillow-ghost?"

"Once upon a time, a child didn't want to go to sleep. The boy heard some noise, so he followed it. The child walked through a dark room and approached a door. When he opened the door…"

"There was the pillow-ghost?"

"Yes, and it flew inside the room. The child was scared and hid under a blanket. But it was the pillow-ghost's plan; he was flying there to keep the boy in his bed until he finally fell asleep. Then the pillow ghost just disappeared with the satisfaction of scaring his new victim. The pillow-ghost is still here and he's waiting for his next victim to scare"

"I'm not scared" Private said.

"Oh, really?"

"No, and I can prove it"

"In that case, okay, but don't tell that I didn't warn you" Skipper said and switched off the lights.

"Scared? There's no pillow-ghost" Private said to himself and stood up. He went through the dark HQ towards the lab. He grabbed a handle and opened a door. Suddenly in front of him appeared a ghost with a black cape. "Ahh! The pillow-ghost!" Private screamed.

"Boo. Boo" Private stepped back hearing a familiar voice… Kowalski's voice? But he didn't run. He grabbed a pillow and started hitting the ghost by it. The ghost stepped back and fell down which was hilarious. Ghosts never fall down.

Private heard more familiar voices and stopped. He grabbed ghost's black cape and pulled it.

"Ok, I believe you that you're not scared" Skipper said when he, Kowalski and Rico were laying on the floor.

"I can opt out of the ghost's career" Kowalski said. The all laughed.

"I understand now why the ghost is called the pillow-ghost" Private said.

The end of the flashback

"Of course I remember. You were really brave" Skipper said.

"And what I'll do now? Please don't go" Private said and hugged him tightly.

"I'm sorry, boys" Skipper said. They sighed "Take care of Kowalski and Rico. In these darkness hours someone with a positive mood is like a light" Skipper whispered to Private.

"Okay, we just wish you to be back" Kowalski said and looked down with Rico. But Private felt… weak. It was a strange feeling and he staggered.

"Private are you ok?"

"No" Private said and fell down.

* * *

**Okay, sorry for this probably boring chapter, but in the next ones there will be more action, I promise. **

**Review please!**


	5. Chapter 5 The Omen

**Chapter 5**

**The Omen**

"Private, wake up, please" Private heard a familiar voice. He realized that he was laying in his bunk with something cold and wet on his forehead. He didn't want to open his eyes. The only thing which he remembered was that he fell down and lost his consciousness. He tried to move his flipper but he felt a pain. Trying to sit down was pointless in that case. He heard voices around him, the voices of his friends, they were talking about someone… about him.

Private tried to open his eyes, he felt tears. Why tears? He realized that his face was warm, too warm and he felt cold on his body. He already knew what was that; he had a high fever. Something like that was really dangerous for penguins, especially young like him.

"Private, are you awakened?" Private heard Kowalski's voice. He tried to say something but he couldn't. He knew that his friends really worried about him but he couldn't do anything. Just laying there… Private felt the chills and he moaned.

"Kowalski, analysis?" Skipper said.

"Private has a really bad fever. He can't do anything but I think he's awakened now" Kowalski replied.

"Is he going to be alright?" Skipper asked.

"I hope so… but, yes, it'll be okay. Um, I can't help him more, he should sleep now. But we can take him to the vet…"

"No way! Not to that sadist with the needles. Now, have you got any suggestions why Private has a high fever?"

"Well, I think, um… it's probably because of the nerves. I think it's too much for a young penguin like him. I really think that you shouldn't go, not now" Kowalski said.

Private listened to them but he couldn't say anything. He tried to do something which could show them that he agreed with Kowalski. He tried to move again but he felt only more pain. But then he felt something soft, the solace… He slipped into a dream…

Now he was walking through a dark street. It was probably a night and the lanterns were on. Everywhere it was quiet and Private didn't see anybody, it was really worrying. The street looked like one in New York City or it was just in New York. But if it was in that big city why nobody was there? _It's just a dream, just a dream _Private thought. He walked between the buildings, they looked gloomy like everything there. Even though the lanterns were lit there was still dark and murky.

There were no other streets, so Private could walk only ahead. He didn't want to look at the empty windows of the black buildings. He had a thought in his mind; what was an aim of this dream? It didn't look like a normal dream, it looked so real. Private could feel even the cold wind which was flying around him and playing with the leaves which already fell down from the trees. It wasn't a normal dream.

The trees looked like the black ghosts with their scary branches without leaves. But it couldn't be New York. This city was different and it looked dirty. The night wasn't like the normal nights, it was like a day without the sun. The empty sky without the moon and stars, it was like a world without a hope. There wasn't warm or cold, it was weird. As if Private was in another world but not in a dream-world. Was there something supernatural?

He realized that he was walking for a long time. The scenery didn't change much. He was still it that strange city on the murky street. The buildings disappeared and on their place appeared tables, chairs and the big umbrellas. It reminded Private the restaurant near the Central Park Zoo. But it wasn't colorful, it was grey. The view was really depressing, Private stopped with a scary thought. What if it was real New York City, what if it's a kind of a vision? He looked at the benches under the leafless trees. He almost jumped when he saw a pair of the purple eyes between the leaves of a bush. They disappeared as fast as they appeared.

Private decided to check it. If it was the dream, he couldn't get injured. If it was real, he wanted to escape from that horror. He approached the bush but before he touched it, he stopped and stared with a shock on the wall in front of him. There was a wooden board: Central Park Zoo. He stepped back. Without the doubts, it was New York. But what happened there? Private took the deep breath and went ahead. He passed a zoo's gate and entered a gloomy place. The lanterns weren't on but Private could see the habitats. There weren't any animals or zookeepers, nobody… and only silence…

Private walked nervously towards the penguins' habitat. He wasn't sure if he wanted to see what was in there. He just wanted to wake up. He approached a fishbowl and pulled it away. Inside it was dark but he jumped there. He expected the darkness but he was wrong. The HQ was lit up by the bright, blue light. Private looked up, the moon suddenly appeared on the black sky between the grey clouds. Private smiled a little, he hasn't seen any moonlight or sunlight for the two weeks. He turned back and stared at the empty HQ. Nothing and silence.

He went to a lab, there weren't any of Kowalski's inventions. Everything's gone.

Feeling more and more restlessness he went back to the top. The loudest place in the zoo and even New York was the lemurs' habitat. With a hope Private slipped there. But there were only King Julian's music box and a throne. No sign of Julian, Maurice and Mort. Private looked around to see some mangos which Mort could leave there. None.

Private ran to Marlene's habitat, he wanted to hide away. Her cave was empty and murky. It couldn't be true, her habitat and the zoo never looked so… lifeless… Private lay down on habitat's stone floor and hid his face in his flippers. Suddenly, he heard some noise. He slowly stood up and looked at the zoo's gate. There was something and he knew it. Without any hesitation he slipped there.

"Are you lost?" Private heard a voice. He looked up. On the wall there was sitting an owl. The beautiful owl with the white feathers and purple eyes. It was strange, Private hasn't ever seen someone with the purple eyes. He stared at the owl "Are you lost, little penguin?" the owl repeated.

"Um, yes, I think. Please tell me, where am I? And who are you?" Private finally asked.

"Tell me, what do _you _want to see and know, Private?" The owl said.

"Y-you know my name?"

"It's not important now, penguin"

"O-okay. Then, where am I?" Private asked and glanced at the wise purple eyes.

"Little penguin, there are lots of questions in this world without the answers. Yes, I can't tell you now, but you'll find out in a good time" the owl replied.

"I-I don't understand it"

"Tell me, what do you see?" The owl said and stared at Private.

"Um, well, I see you owl… and I think it's New York City"

"You don't see me as an owl… "

"Um, don't I?"

"The omens. The ancient magical visions of the future in the animals forms which are evil. No, it's only the humans' explanations. I'm not an owl, I'm an omen. Everybody has an omen, but not everybody can see it. Omens don't show you the future or fate. It depends on you and your way, omen is only your guard"

"Wait, are you _my_ omen?" Private asked. The owl looked at him puzzled with its penetrating purple eyes.

"I can't tell you it Private. There're always the answers but the omens don't know them. You're the only one who can answer your own deepest questions"

"Okay, so what are you doing here?" Private asked. He was confused, so he wanted to change a topic.

"I'm here to help you"

"Help me with what?" Private looked around, the truth was that he really needed a help.

"You see, something bad will happen soon and you'll have to keep your bravery like your friends. The oracle already has a prophecy, but the fate can be changed at all time"

"Something bad? If the omens aren't evil why do you tell me such a bad destiny?" Private stepped back but the owl shook its head.

"I don't see the future. I'm here to warn you. Someone found me, you see, not every omens can come to you. There's a connection between you and the magical owls like _me_. Everybody has the connections like that, including your friends. It's time for me and you to go, the oracle is waiting"

"What's the oracle, I mean, is it something material?"

"You'll find out everything… soon…" the owl closed its eyes.

"Please tell me what does it all mean? I-I want to wake up"

"Wake up, Private, can we call it 'wake up'?" the owl opened its eyes and looked down at Private. He didn't reply, so the owl continued "If someone sees the omen… it can happen only in a special situation"

"That means… something's happening with me" Private said and nervously looked around.

"What do you remember?"

"I um… fainted and then I woke up in my bunk with a high fever" Private said.

"Exactly. You have the penguin's fever"

"Penguin's fever? Wait if it… oh…" Private had it all clearly now.

"You're in a really bad condition" The owl said "Do you know now, why do you see me?"

"Not at all, why _me_? I didn't even know that omens exist…"

"No, no, little penguin, it's another topic. As I said earlier, the omens are the guards and I'm here to help you"

"I understand now" Private nodded.

"You haven't got a normal fever, you see, someone is afraid of you and your friends. So it wants to destroy you. You were wondering what's wrong with your world. This is it. The dark times are coming, Private"

"The weather is like that not without the reason, I knew it. But I don't know if I have to take it literally or not" Private said and looked down.

"It's something what you have to find out on your own"

"Why have I this dream? Why?"

"You all have to be ready. It's time for you to go, Private" The owl said and everything around began to disappear in the white light "Before I leave you I want to tell, don't be afraid to tell it your friends. The most important thing now is to be together"

"I'll remember" Private nodded.

"Private, whatever will happen, there's somebody who will always help you all. And about your questions; the answers are sometimes invisible for eyes" the owl smiled. Private opened his beak to ask who it is, who the guard is, but then everything penetrated into the white and Private felt that he was felling down. He landed on something hard and warm. His fever disappeared, so he tried to open his eyes. He saw his friends' worried faces and sat down in his bunk. Though he still had a headache, he was happy to be back.

"How are you feeling, Private?" Kowalski asked. Private touched his forehead.

"Better" he said.

"We tried to wake you up but you had a dream, I guess"

"I don't know, I don't remember anything" Private said. It wasn't the truth, but Private wasn't sure if he wanted to tell it. What would be Kowalski's reaction? It was something magical, so it was obvious that the scientist will not believe him.

"I see, your fever was severe. Interesting, why it's gone so fast…" Kowalski said and noted something on his clipboard. Rico brought a fish for Private.

"Oh, thank you, Rico" Private said and stared at his fish. He wasn't hungry "Where's Skippah?"

"At the top" Kowalski said. He was noting something with the concentration in his eyes.

"Um, okay" Private said and stood up. He felt a little dizzy, his headache hasn't gone. He climbed up by a ladder. He had so many thoughts and questions. Who is guarding them? If something wants to get rid of them, Private have to inform the rest as soon as he can. He sighed and tried to concentrate on his dream, it was something what he had to solve on his own… But he had to talk with Skipper.

* * *

The puffins came to a truck and grabbed Katherine. She felt a little dizzy. When she stood up she felt a strong pain where she had a wound. The leader puffin smiled and pushed her from the truck, she fell down onto a hard ground. It looked like a pavement, but Katherine had a bad feel of that place.

"Hey, it wasn't gentlemanly" Katherine said and stood up.

"The problem is that I'm not a gentleman" the leader puffin said and grinned at her. Katherine rolled her eyes. The puffins grabbed her flippers and led her ahead.

She realized that it was an island, very gloomy and dark. The sky wasn't different, still black and without any stars. She didn't even know if it was a day or a night. The leafless trees were making that place scarier.

Then Katherine saw the worst horror, it was something what she was afraid of. A lightening went through the sky making it like from a thriller scene. She looked at a view in front of her, it was…

* * *

**Okay, sorry again! I know Private's dream could be really weird, especially that owl, but it was something what can help you understand the later chapters. The next chapter… will Skipper go to Denmark or not? I'll try to post it sooner that this chapter. I really love your reviews, so**

**Review please!**


	6. Chapter 6 Being Alone

**Chapter 6**

**Being Alone**

In front of her there was a huge building with the three high towers. The two towers between an armored gate were probably for the guards and they belonged to a big wall which was surrounding the building. The third tower was rising from the building inside the wall. Even the bricks were black, it was a scary view.

It was the Denmark Prison. The most terrible place maybe even on the whole world. Nobody has ever escaped from there. Even if someone tries to, he will be dead in a second. The black building looked like a Devil's castle on a background of the murky sky and lightenings.

The puffins led her to the armored gate, she looked down. There was no chance for escape, it was over. They told a password and the gate opened with a creak. They were on a courtyard now. The pavement was grey like before. When Katherine raised her head she saw a lot of guards standing on the top of the wall which was around the prison. A double door opened and they entered the bloodcurdling building.

"Look what we found" the leader puffin said to the guard puffins.

"_What_ or _whom_?" Katherine corrected him.

"Okay take her from me I can't stand her any longer" the leader puffin said and pushed her to the guards "Goodbye, hopefully, we'll never meet again" he said and quickly left the prison.

"Hopefully" Katherine said to herself. Fortunately, she already had a plan. When they led her further she kicked the two puffins which were holding her flippers. Then she made a dodge from the third puffin and cut a rope which was tying her flippers by puffin's dagger.

"Catch that prisoner!" a puffin yelled and more guards joined them.

Katherine slipped to a dark corridor to lose them. She hid in the shadow of a corner while the puffins ran further. The problem was how to get out. There were so many guards and there was no chance to slip through unnoticed. She closed her eyes to concentrate. She didn't know where she should go. She's never been inside this prison. Once she was on this island with Skipper when the puffins caught them, but they escaped before they entered this scary place. What to do now? Better question, what would Skipper do? She looked up, there wasn't any ventilation tunnel.

Suddenly she felt very dizzy and she almost fainted. What was wrong… She realized that she fell onto her knees. She stood up and slowly walked through the dark corridor closely to the wall, she could faint at all time. It was like a maze, a lot of corridors and corners. She heard the steps, the puffins were near. She thought that she got rid of them… She leaned against the wall to not be noticed. Slowly, she stepped back far from the steps.

"Are you lost?" she jumped when she heard a voice behind her back. She turned and felt a pain in her flipper "Only a second and you'll fall asleep" one of the puffins said. They hurt her flipper by a syringe. It was probably a poison, Katherine felt dizzier and fell onto her knees. The view in front of her started disappearing, she closed her eyes. The puffins grabbed her and led through the corridor. It looked like everything before; gloomy and made by the grey and black bricks.

"Where should we lead her now, sir?"

"Let me see… Oh, I have an excellent prison cell for her. When she wakes up, you'll lead her downstairs. She has the important information" someone said. Katherine couldn't open her eyes, every part of her body was in pain, she was slipping into a nightmare… But she still could hear the conversation "No questions, it's classified" that _someone _said.

Katherine opened her eyes a little. She could see a corridor with the entries to the prison cells. But they didn't stop at any of them. It was a long walk and they were deep inside the prison. Katherine felt less and less force. It was really bad, especially when they were climbing up on a stairs. Katherine already knew that they were leading her to the top of the tower. When she was in the military she was learning about a lot of prisons; the towers are always the most guarded places.

Finally they got to the top. Katherine almost fainted but she knew she had to keep the consciousness. She felt relief when the puffins cut a rope which was tying her flippers. They opened the prison bars of the one of cells.

"See you or not. Later. It'll be not your last nightmare, it's just began" a puffin laughed and pushed her into a cell. She lost her balance and fell down. She heard steps of the puffins, they finally left. But she wasn't able to move. She was laying on her stomach on a cold, dirty floor. She was slowly falling asleep.

But then she felt that someone picked her up and carried her somewhere. She couldn't see who it was. She fell asleep…

* * *

Skipper was sitting on the edge of the HQ's platform with raised head. It was a day, a morning. But it looked like a night. The sun still hasn't showed its life-giving sunbeams. The only difference was that the clouds were grey, in the night they're black. But it wasn't a consolation. The wind flew from the north, Skipper turned there. It was the direction from which the shadow came. But in that case it wasn't from Denmark. This time, the military was wrong. Skipper had to inform them about it. He stood up.

"Are you leaving?" he heard a voice.

"Yes" he replied and turned to Private.

"Why? What will it change?" Private asked.

"I have to talk with my old friend, there's a lot of problems connected with Team A's failed mission. I think they already know that Denmark is not the lair of _this_" Skipper said and turned. Kowalski and Rico went out of the HQ.

"Skipper wait, we need some orders" Kowalski said.

"Now it depends on you Kowalski. Until I don't come back, you're the leader"

"O-Okay. According to my calculations, we have 10 percent chance of survival…"

"Kowalski, stop calculating, trust your instinct" Skipper said.

"Excellent, trust my instinct. I trust my brain not a gut"

Skipper rolled his eyes and jumped out of the penguins' habitat and slipped towards a zoo gate. Though the zoo was opened, nobody came to visit it. For the two weeks the zoo was totally deserted. Even in the Central Park there was quiet, all animals hid in their caves and lairs. Skipper looked at the trees, nowhere was an annoying squirrel Fred.

The problem was how to get to the main HQ. When he walked along the street he didn't notice any buses. On the streets there were only a few parked cars and newspapers which were carried by the wind. He has never seen New York City like that. The lights were going only from the windows of the buildings were people were watching TV. They didn't have anything else to do. Sluggards. Of course, it was easiest just to sit down and do nothing, who cares that the world is destroying by the dark _something_? That's the humans' explanation. Skipper thought.

There weren't any other option, so he walked up to an entry with a board: Subway. The subway was always full of people who want to get to their work offices. But this time it wasn't the same. Nothing was the same. There were only about ten people waiting for the subway. They looked bored. They were yawning and reading the old newspapers which wind brought to them. Again, everything looked so lifeless…

Finally, the subway arrived and a door opened slowly. Why… why even the machine had to look lazy? Skipper quickly slipped under the sits but it wasn't necessary... Humans won't see him even if he sits in front of them. The subway rode to a next station, it was going to be a long journey… or not. The subway suddenly stopped.

"The last station: New York Center. Leave the subway, please" a voice said and the doors opened.

"Excellent" Skipper said ironically and left the subway. There weren't any other quick ways to get to the central HQ. He had to walk.

Excellent, it was _really nice _to walk through the spooky streets in the total darkness. But though nobody was there, he had to be careful. He could expect everything. He walked through a dark alley between the old buildings, nobody could see him there. But was it a good choice? He heard a noise behind him but when he turned there was nothing, just the trash bins.

Skipper felt as if someone was watching him. At all time he could see a pair of the scary eyes in the darkness. Was he afraid? No. Why not? Skipper left that thoughts, he had to be ready for an attack. The noise again; it wasn't his imagination. He immediately turned and slowly approached a garbage container. What was lurking there?

Skipper stood there for the while, nothing happened. He decided to ignore it and he went further. But no, he couldn't ignore it, someone was watching him. He looked up. On the buildings' roofs there weren't any birds. So where was that _someone_ hiding?

* * *

Meanwhile the penguins were sitting in the HQ. Kowalski decided to do an experiment and Rico went to get some fish. Private was sitting in his bunk hugging his lunacorn. His headache was slowly passing. He looked at the window, even the view of water behind the it was scary. He moved deeper to the shadow of his bunk. He didn't feel safe. He wanted to talk with someone.

But with whom? He had to tell someone about his dream. He wanted to go to Kowalski's lab but he prevented himself from it. No, it was obvious that Kowalski wouldn't believe him or just yell to leave him alone. What about Rico? He'd just pretend that he's listening. Private felt tears in his eyes. What was wrong? He decided to go outside. He climbed up by a ladder and went out of the HQ. The sky didn't change. He looked around the gloomy zoo. Only he and Rico were outside.

"Want fish?" Rico asked.

"No, thank you Rico" Private replied. Rico shrugged and went inside the HQ. Private was alone... again. He looked at the zoo's gate, it was closed now. He remembered when he met an owl in his dream. The owl was sitting there, he had to talk with it. But how?

"Please, I need a help" Private said and looked up. Help? But help with what? He realized that he doesn't know what he really wants. He had got so many questions. The owl said to look for the answers on his own. How? Private sat down.

What about Marlene? He could visit her, now. Something prevented him from that. Why? The same question again. He looked at the buildings which were far from him, somewhere in the center of New York. They were rising from the sinister fog like the murky rocks from ocean. Somewhere there was Skipper... And Private realized what he wanted, what he needed... What he needed to feel save...

He needs Skipper...

* * *

Skipper walked up to the rubbish bags which were laying near a door of an old building. The game has ended. He wasn't afraid and he approached the door. Something or someone was there, behind that door. He grabbed the handle and pushed the door... nothing...

And suddenly something jumped to him...

* * *

**Hm... weird, isn't it? I have questions for you, the first: who helped Katherine? the second: Who/what attacked Skipper? **

**Okay, anyway -**

**Review please!**


	7. Chapter 7 Look Behind You

**I'd like to dedicate this chapter to Bri357. Happy Birthday Bri357! :)**

* * *

**Chapter 7**

**Look Behind You**

A creature jumped out of the building, Skipper immediately stepped back and grabbed a metal cover of a wastepaper basket. There was dark so he didn't see what was attacking him, the fight was risky and dangerous in that case. But he didn't escape, he stayed there and prepared for an attack.

"Stay away! I have a, um, fish bone and I would not hesitate to use it" a familiar voice said. Skipper put the cover back and stepped towards the creature.

"Wait I.."

"I'm going to use it, hey-yaa" The creature jumped out of the shadow. A lamp over the door lit up. Though the light was weakly blinking, Skipper could see everything well.

"Moon-cat!" Skipper said.

"Oh, Skipper! How long didn't I see you, my friend. By the way, I'm not _really _a moon-cat. I have never been on the moon" Max the cat said. He was holding a fish bone.

"Anyway, what are you doing here?" Skipper asked.

"Um, I'm living here"

"Oh, right, sorry I forgot..."

"What are _you_ doing here? And where's your team?" Max asked.

"Classified. But why don't you visit us? It's really depressing to sitting alone now"

"I-I can't. I'm hiding here" Max said shaking his head and stepped back into the shadow.

"Why?"

"Listen, I'd recommend you to leave this place as fast as you can. Being here is dangerous, especially alone, come back to your team and don't leave the zoo"

"Why... what's happening here? Max, please tell me everything you know"

"It's not normal, you have to leave, now" the cat looked around.

"If you tell me what's wrong, I'll be able to help" Skipper said. Max sighed and came closer.

"Everybody is hiding, the panic is around. It all started two weeks ago, since the shadow came. The animals felt it and… and… We're scared. Officer X is the only one brave enough to hunting it the night. It's not good, he uses the animals' inattention and simply catches them. But it isn't the worst…" Max whispered "A few days ago we… we saw…"

"What?" Skipper asked. Max didn't replied, so Skipper repeated "What did you see, Max?"

"We-we saw a creature" Max said very quietly and nervously looked around.

"Was it an animal?"

"I don't know. It appeared suddenly. It was far from us, so we could see only a black character. But it isn't a human, it looked like… like…" Max stopped and looked around again.

"Calm down, nobody can hear you here" Skipper said.

"It looked like your worst nightmare. Like, um, something worse than a werewolf, I think… I don't know, I don't remember it very well"

"Okay, thank you for the information. I have only one question for you"

"Okay, go on"

"What exactly do you mean saying 'we' and 'us'?"

"Oh, none of the animals wants to be alone now, so we're trying to stick together"

"I understand, be careful, okay? I'll try to do something with it" Skipper said and walked along the street. Max sighed and came back to his 'room'.

Officer X, he was so annoying. Skipper thought while he was walking through the dark thriller. Suddenly he heard voices, the humans' voices. He slipped to a direction of the voices. There were sitting two humans. One of them was fat and the second was skinny. Skipper came closer and hid behind a few boxes to hear their conversation. He immediately recognized their voices… Cecil and Brick! They were whispering, so Skipper couldn't hear every word. But he found out that they were waiting for someone.

"How long?" Brick asked.

"Uh, how many times do I have to repeat it? I don't know!" Cecil replied.

"Do you think the plan will be successful?"

"Shh, don't say it too loud, Brick. It's a top secret. But _he _is the best! If everything goes well, we…" Skipper couldn't hear more, so he came closer. Unfortunately one of the boxes fell down making some noise. He stopped breathing and leaned against a wall to be not noticed. "What was that?" Cecil asked and took a few steps towards hiding Skipper "Um, nevermind. Nothing is normal here. Okay, about the plan, _he_ said that…"

Why? Why did they have to talk too quiet when it was something important? Skipper had to get that information from them. Fortunately, Brick was stupid enough to say it louder. Skipper just had to wait. But their quick whispers were annoying. Skipper decided to take a chance. He moved closer again and carefully leaned out from behind the boxes.

"... and after that they'll prize us and _he_'ll get his job again. Do you understand it Brick!? We'll be rich! And no stupid penguins will defeat us again. _He_'ll take a good care of them. Just follow the plan..." Cecil said smiling. They were leaning against the a door. Near them there were laying a few black bags. Suddenly something moved behind Skipper…

* * *

Katherine felt a pain all over her body. She didn't know where is she, what had happened. But she wanted to stop the pain. It was like a fire. Slowly, she reminded what happened. She was in the Denmark Prison and the puffins gave her a poison. She could moan, but no, she was too weak even for it. She wasn't able to do any move even to open her eyes.

She had a nightmare, a scary nightmare. But she didn't remember it. Maybe it was better. She could feel the every pain, every pain which she had with every breath. Breathing was hard, everything was hard. She knew she had to remember to stay in consciousness, to keep breathing, to stay alive. She couldn't give up , she had to fight. Not only for herself, more… for her friends.

But she felt as if she was slipping into the black infinity. She noticed that she was laying on something cold and though. Maybe on the ground… she didn't care. She took one deep breath and opened her eyes. She immediately felt tears, her eyes were smarting. The view in front of her was fuzzy. She moved her flipper by the rest of her force and rubbed her eyes.

She was laying on a prison 'bed', a cold platform chained to the wall by two chains. She sighed.

"You finally woke up. Luckily. Because you couldn't have woken up, in the worst case." someone said in a danish accent.

"Uh, what are they going to do with me?" Katherine asked, she felt a strong headache. She didn't even care who was she talking to. She was too weak to turn her head.

"Who am I? A fairy? I don't know. Probably they'll torture you or in a better case they'll just kill you" the voice replied. It seemed very familiar to Katherine.

"So 'kill' is a better case? Good to know" she said and sighed. She tried to sit on the bed leaning against the wall.

"See, you can dying in tortures or you can die quick"

"It isn't very comforting, you know" Katherine said and shut her eyes. She felt a stronger pain in the ribs and she moaned.

"You can keep your sense of humour even in your last hours. Like always"

"Huh? How did you..." Katherine turned her head to the prisoner who she was talking to. She gasped. "Ah, you! And you're talking so calmly as if nothing's happened! Traitor" she said when she saw the puffin who was sitting on the bed opposite her.

"You and Skipper will never stop calling me 'traitor', huh?" Hans asked.

"You don't deserve to stop being calling 'traitor', Hans" she said.

"Listen, if we want to get out from here we have to work together" Hans said. She wanted to protest but she knew that he was right. They couldn't escape on their own.

"Have you got a plan?" she asked.

"No. I thought that you and Skipper are 'the persons of plans'" Hans replied.

"As you see, Skipper's not here" she said and sent him a cold look.

"Okay, just saying. First of all, we have to wait, you aren't able even to walk..."

"I'm always able. And I never fail" Katherine said and stood up ignoring the pain. It wasn't a good move, she felt dizzy and fell down.

"Then, why are you here, huh? And actually, no, you aren't able"

"Haha, funny" Katherine rolled her eyes. Hans walked up to her and helped her to stand up. They heard the steps. The puffins were coming back "Have you got a plan? We don't have enough time!"

"Errr, they'll torture you now, but I can make a plan. And remember, don't let them break you. As long as you have something important for them, they can't kill you" Hans said. Katherine lay back on the bed.

"I wasn't going to let them break me and I'm not going to" she whispered. The puffins came with a handcuffs. They opened a prison cell.

"How was your sleeping, huh?" a puffin asked. They put the handcuffs on her flippers and led her out. Hans sent her the well-known look, she nodded.

They led her down the stars. Walking was so hard for Katherine, at least the puffins were holding her. What the information was so important that they wanted to know? Whatever. she won't give up... Never. They can do everything but she won't tell them the thing which they wanted to know.

They were on the first level where was the entry to the prison. But they walked lower. Probably there was a torture-room in the dungeons. Katherine felt the goose-flesh, she thought that nothing could be scarier than the view of Denmark Prison. No, she was wrong. The dungeons were terrible. No windows and lights, only the darkness. There were lots of corridors as if it was a maze. A gloomy maze with something like the fog, the fog of fear. Wait, the fog? Katherine felt strange, the same fog was following her. It was just everywhere. Something was lurking there and waiting for her.

When they walked along a corridor the torches lit up. But even the fire of torches, which was brightening the place a little, didn't make the scenery less dark and murky. Quite the opposite, it was waking even more terror. The fire was red and the red light was going through the black dungeons. That place was full of the only one feeling; the fear. Katherine looked down while she was walking, she didn't want to look around. She felt that she was losing her consciousness again.

Her forehead was hot, she had a high fever. It was the really high fever and she had a headache. She has never felt so much pain and sick. But she couldn't show her weakness, she couldn't show that she's in pain, she couldn't show…. that she's scared. She didn't know what the fear was, she's never scared. But now… everything changed, the world changed. The shadow which came so suddenly had to destroy everything.

"The place where we're going is classified. Don't worry, you won't feel much pain" a puffin said. Before Katherine could do something she felt a hit in the back of her head. She couldn't hold on, she fell down "Hm, or you will. Sorry"

_You're the last hope, Hans. _She fainted… again…

* * *

"Are you lost, penguin?" Skipper heard a voice behind him, _that voice_. He saw a man-shaped shadow on the ground in front of him. It was familiar. It was obvious. Cecil and Brick looked there. Skipper knew that he lost his cover, they saw him. There was nothing else to do, he turned and stood face to face with _him_...

* * *

**Thanks for your amazing and nice reviews. Sorry for a long updating! The next chapter comes sooner :)**

**Please, review!**


	8. Chapter 8 Some Unknown Information

**I'm soooo sorry for the long wait. It was a hard month for me… but it's getting better and I'll try to write more often. Sorry again. :)**

* * *

**Chapter 8**

**Some Unknown Information**

Skipper stood face to face with him… Officer X. He was smiling evilly ready for attack. Even though he had his sunglasses, Skipper knew that he had flames in his eyes. Flames of a sweet, sweet revenge and only one thought in his mind: Get this penguin. Skipper didn't have time for fight but he couldn't stand Officer X's annoying smile. Something was telling him to leave but every muscle of his body was telling him to stay and fight.

Skipper had only two choices and only one of them was good. But it depended on him which one will be the good one. The moment they were standing and looking at each other with hate seemed to be infinite. One of them had to move.

Officer X took his weapons knowing that finally it was the day of his revenge. The day he was waiting for a long time. Skipper looked up to find something which could give him more time. There was a rope, it could be useful. On the one end of the rope there was a box hanging over Skipper and the second end of the rope was tied to a hook which was in the ground. It all was within his grasp.

"You can't escape penguin, nobody can help you. It's the day of my revenge, the beautiful day…"

"You're talking too much, you know" Skipper said and cut the rope by his flipper.

"Don't let him escape!" X yelled to Cecil and Brick. It was too late, Skipper already got on the roof and the box shattered on the ground. Something which looked like meat fell out of the box. It was worrying but there was no time to check it.

* * *

Katherine woke up. She was chained to a chair and around it was dark. She had a high fever but she didn't care. The main thing was to have a plan. It wasn't going to be easy to make one. Without any doubt, she was in a torture room; tools and scary instruments were hanging on the wall. Suddenly someone switched on a big lamp and Katherine could see the room more clearly. It was a dungeon with a skeleton in a corner.

"Ugh. You probably won't help me" she said and turned her head away from the skeleton.

"Katherine, nice to see you, again" a puffin emerged from a shadow.

"Not mutually. Well, long time no see. How are you, Joe?" Katherine said.

"I'm the one who asks questions. I'm fine by the way" He said and looked at some papers in his flippers "And stop calling me Joe, I'm Jordan!"

"As you wish, Joe"

"You better not annoy me. Anyway, I have some documents here... about you and your last visits. Let's see, your achievements: blowing up a lab, blowing up an airport, blowing up a train station, and um, freezing a café with snow cones... seriously?"

"Yeah..."

"intrusion to puffins court... um, throwing toilet paper on puffins' base...?"

"Oh I remember that night clearly..." Katherine said and smiled as she recalled the memory "We were sent on a mission on Halloween, why shouldn't we have some fun?"

"Anyway, in summary, you visited Denmark's court for many, many times and you got out alive for every time... You won't have that luck this time" Jordan said and put down the documents.

"You think so?" Katherine said with a crafty smile.

"Just look around. Nice place, isn't it? I think this is an answer for your question"

Katherine looked around. It was truth; there was no way to escape from the dungeon, except for the heavy metal door which was probably guarded by some puffins. Moreover, the dungeons were very long and it seemed to be a maze. She would never get out of there without a guide or GPS.

"Fine, let's settle this as friends, okay?" She said.

"As you wish. Here's the deal; you tell me everything what I want to know and they will perhaps free you" Jordan said.

"Let me leave Denmark?'

"Of course no. I meant free you from this chair"

"Oh okay, but, you know, my version sounded better"

"The life isn't perfect, is it?"

"It's the first time when I agree with you" Katherine replied ironically.

"Anyway, I bet you know why you're here-"

"Um, I actually do not know" She interrupted.

"Oh come on, why is everything always left for me?!"

"I guess it was a rhetorical question" Katherine was still teasing.

"Ah, stop making me angry, Katerina! You know it won't have a good end for yo-"

"Okay, got it. Now stop making me bored, I thought I was here for the reason. By the way, you have some problems with emotions" She gave Jordan a mischievous smile. He ignored her.

"Puffins know that you, Americans, have something with this weather thing. We don't know what you're planning but I bet you do" Jordan asked.

"Huh? We don't know anything about this shadow thing. Why do you think so?"

"Because the well known Officer X knows something about it. We think that you all are planning something against Denmark. The shadow came here from America"

"And the shadow came to America from west- wait, did you say Officer X?!"

"Yes I did"

"Why is Officer X involved it this thing?"

"Haven't you heard about your American Beast?

"A beast? What did I miss? Um, for how long was I unconscious?" she got nervous. Jordan sighed and whispered;

"The beast that was seen near New York. From the classified source we know that Officer X is going to caught it. But, since it wasn't seen in any other location, it's obvious that it's one of Americans experiments"

"No, I'm sure it's not. But, if that beast is dangerous... it can attack Central Park Zoo..." She said. _'I hope it isn't one of Kowalski's experiments..' _she thought.

"Let's continue, Officer X has weapons, baits and even assistants to hunt for the beast. But the beast cannot be killed before we don't know from where it came and what it is. So, we wanted to hunt for X but you, Americans, don't let us hunt for humans"

"Look, I don't think he would ever be able to catch a penguins, so how would he manage to catch a beast?"

"Nevermind. So you don't know anything about it?"

"No. But even if I knew I wouldn't tell you. Now, free me from here, I need to warn my friends"

"No, you're not going anywhere"

"Give me one reason why not?"

"Because if someone from the MAPB (A/N; Main American Penguins Base) see you..."

"What?"

"Nevermind" Jordan replied. Katherine used a moment of his inattention and broke the chains which she had found quite loose a few minutes before. She jumped onto her feet and attacked Jordan. He was surprised by it so he couldn't make a dodge before she threw him against the stone wall. She took a knife which was hanging on the wall and walked towards him.

"Now, tell me everything what you know" she said with the assertive tone.

"Okay, take it easy" Jordan stood up and started walking slowly around the room opposite Katherine "I think it won't change anything if I tell you and I won't surprise you. Denmark base sent a letter to you and Skipper that you know. We knew that you wouldn't let Skipper go. We used a situation that you haven't heard any news while you were lost on that island for 2 years..."

"I wasn't _lost_ on _an_ island but go on..."

"So many things happened in that time. The main thing is that the _real _General G is dead. He was very old, I had thought that you would have figured it out"

"H-he's dead? N-no..." Katherine felt week at her knees and had to sit on the ground "But he was the one who has been learning me in Xin-Jin's military... a-and took me on my first military mission" she said shocked.

"Someone had to tell you that" Jordan said with a feigned compassion.

"Who was General G in the plane then?"

"Oh, that was our good actor, just like the rest of the team"

"They are alive? It all was just a lie?"

"Of course"

"Why?"

"Because we needed you to bring us some information. But it appears that you're useless. Don't worry, I think that Skipper is already with our next team"

"I don't believe you" Katherine said and stood up.

"Because you don't want to accept the truth. You're weak, Katherina"

"Why we? Why did Denmark Base chose me and Skipper?"

"That's simple. We already sent a letter to MAPB that you're dead because you appeared in Denmark though you were banished. We only need Skipper and the war with America will come soon" He smiled.

"What do you mean? Is Denmark stupid enough to start the war? The dark times are coming and none of us is involved in this. We should withhold the conflicts and keep together"

"The conflicts were and will always be between Danish puffins and American penguins"

"And because of your conflict you haven't thought that Blowhole may be the one who brought the shadow"

"Dr. Blowhole has a special diplomatic immunity. He can be in Denmark as long as he doesn't bother us. It's obvious that it's not his fault" Jordan replied. Katherine nervously stepped back "But I think you know something" he said but she didn't replied "Okay, enough for today, sooner or later you will tell the truth... or Skipper does"

"You will never broke me or him"

"We'll see"

As he said that, a few puffins entered the room and led Katherine out. She didn't fight; she knew it would be aimless. Her thoughts were now around the beast thing. She was worrying about her friends. If they weren't warned soon, they would be the beast's victims. The next thing is Skipper. How could they believe in that faked letter. She had no clue what to do. The only one who could help her was Hans, what wasn't very reassuring.

Third thing is Officer X. Of course she and the penguins hated him, but he still was just a silly human. She didn't want him to be killed by a monster which is lurking on New York streets. Who could be his helper? Everyone thinks he's insane, so nobody would believe him. There were too many unanswered questions... She had to concentrate on a plan to escape.

But another thought came to her mind. What information did they want to know? Well, she bet that she was going to find out soon. At the moment she had to find a way how to warn others and get out. Suddenly, a light went on in her head; American Penguins' Embassy! That was the only thing which could help her. They would be able to contact MAPB and free her. But there's one problem – how on the earth would she contact America's Embassy from this dammed prison?...

* * *

Skipper were jumping from the roof to roof, trying to get to MAPB as soon as he could. It wasn't very easy though. He didn't want to get to the ground since he could meet other obstacle. But, of course, an obstacle met him on the edge of the next roof. The buildings ended and there was a big city park. Skipper jumped down and faceflippered. Why had he chosen _this _way?

It wasn't an ordinary park; It was a maze-thing park. Tourists liked it and getting lost inside they took as a play. Silly humans. What's so funny in a stupid maze like this? He didn't have time to turn back, so he slipped ahead through the maze. It was going to take even longer then he had thought.

He stopped as he heard a noise. Wait, not a noise. It was a roar. The roar was heard from the west side of a maze, so Skipper slipped towards it. He slowly looked out from behind the edge of wall. Nothing. He jumped as he heard the same roar just from behind him. He turned prepared for everything and he saw a weird-shaped shadow...

"What the..."

* * *

Dun dun dun. I hope you liked the chapter ^^. Btw, since the atmosphere here was getting too gloomy I tried to make the dialogue between Katherine and Jordan a little funny.

Anyway, don't forget to leave a review, please!


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